Tag Archives: Healthcare vote

This morning I was reading a Washington Post article, Health-care protest site: Ohio congressman’s house by Krissah Thompson. Rep. Steve Driehaus voted yes on the healthcare bill and a group of protesters picketed in front of his home. Driehaus is a Democrat who lives in an area that is adjacent to some Republican strongholds. Minority Leader John Boehner in response to Driehaus’ yes vote said, (Driehaus) “may be a dead man. He can’t go home to the west side of Cincinnati.” In typical Republican fashion Boehner said his analogy was political not literal because of course he was not condoning violence, but even if you disagree with the vote does a voter have the right to picket a lawmaker’s home. In an effort to get people to attend the protest the congressman’s address, as well as a map and a best place to park information was published on protest leader’s website. There is something wrong about this. Let’s look at a typical manager who from time to time has to fire an employee. What if that former employee showed up on the doorstep of the employer? What would he do? The employer would call the police and the ex-employee might be arrested for stalking or harassment well what is this? It is harassment. When the Congressman is in Washington he is at work and when he is at his home with his family he should not be harassed by angry zealots. This is not an act of patriotism this is more like an act of terrorism.

It is wonderful that today there will finally be a vote on healthcare. This debate has gone on for far too long, but somewhere along the way it went from rational to radical, and yesterday the racists were loud and in charge in Washington. Racial ephitets were hurled like greetings at black members of Congress made their way to the chambers. There was even an incident in which a protesters actually spit on a member of Congress. Some will argue oh that is just a few malcontents, no this is a very verbal faction within the tea party movement. Raw feelings have been stoked by the Republicans like the House Majority John Boehner who refered to a yes vote as “Armageddon”. So a yes vote means the end of the world, and if that is the case it no wonder people are acting as if they have not only lost their minds, but they have also lost their humanity.